Ellis Simms

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The lad is progressing just fine where he is. Maybe give him the odd game this season with the under 23s with the intention that he joins that group next summer. Nowhere near ready for the first team yet.
 
Scores some more in 10-0 (TEN) win over West Brom (obviously they're missing the influence of Pulis). Love the way the Albion lad was keen to dash with the ball back to take the kick off after (what?) the 8th and 9th goals!!
 

Let him get used to u23 football first. If he’s rated highly then get him on loan in the championship from Christmas and get some real experience. Assess him in pre-season then.
 

Let him get used to u23 football first. If he’s rated highly then get him on loan in the championship from Christmas and get some real experience. Assess him in pre-season then.
Personally I'd keep hold of him this season. First thing is he needs game time in the U23s. Unsworth is playing Sambou every game this season and, whilst he's doing OK, he should really have kicked on by now if he was going to make it here. I just feel Unworth is trying to give him every chance to justify the £1m he got the club to fork out on him a couple of years ago.

He's had plenty of opportunities now, and needs to make way for some of the younger players who are showing promise, like Simms and Adedoyin. Simms, in particular has shown he is too good at U18s and needs testing to continue his development. He should be starting for the U23s for the rest of the season and I'd also play him in the FA youth cup. It would be nice to have a proper go at that this year when we have a decent squad at U18.

If he does will at U23 level it may even be worth Marco having a closer look at him and get him training with the first X! squad. I think calls to have him on the bench for the first team are a bit premature at the moment, but if he does impress for the U23s and in training, then why not, especially if we have some dead rubber games towards the end of the season.

Next year I'd be looking to get him out on loan, probably at League 1 level rather than the championship. I think it's game time against open age teams he needs at this stage and he may not get that sitting in the bench for a championship team. He's still only 17 so there's absolutely no rush.
 
Talk of him being on the first team bench or a loan to a Championship club are way premature. He’s done remarkably well this season.... but at u18 level where he literally looks a man against boys at times. Very few u18s have scored as many goals by November in any team recently, but to balance that the really good young goalscorers rarely remain at u18 level long and are often playing up in the U23s. Our current u18 are the best we’ve had for a few years, built on a solid defence , dynamic midfield and the attacking flair and goals of Simms, Adedoyin and Phillips. He’s certainly benefitted from this and the fact that , until now it’s been a settled team.
He’s still to start for the U23s which is one criteria to judge him on , particularly as the U23s while a good team are hardly banging in lots of goals. So that’s the next level for him to prove himself at , though in fairness to him he’s done all that could be asked of him so far scoring with his left, his right foot, and his head.
 

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